We all know that Jupiter is the largest planet in entire solar system, as of now there are nearly 79 verified moons in Jupiter. The four largest moons of Jupiter called Galilean moon. They are Ganymede, Callisto, Europa and lo. Jupiter also has other smaller moon. In this article we are going to see its four Galilean moons and ESA's mission of Jovian system.
Of Jupiter moons, eight are regular satellite that are orbiting Jupiter in a nearly circular orbit, and they are exactly inclined with the Jupiter equatorial plane. The four of Galilean moons are nearly spherical in shape because of planetary mass, so they it may consider as a dwarf planet but as it is orbiting around the Jupiter these are the natural satellites of Jupiter. other four are smaller and its orbital axis is very closer to Jupiter these smaller satellites serves as a source of dust ring around Jupiter. The other smaller and irregular satellite are located at a far distance from Jupiter. still 20 more irregular satellites are unnamed. They are believed to formed from the disk of accelerating gas and hot debris called as circumplanetary disk.
ESA is going to send a spacecraft to Jupiter to explore about its Jovian system called Jupiter icy moon explorer (JUICE)
The moons of Jupiter is grouped into
Regular satellites
Inner regular satellites or Amalthea groups
The satellites which are small and it orbital axis is very closer to Jupiter are called inner regular satellites or Amalthea groups. They are Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, and Thebe. Amalthea and thebe are the fifth and seventh largest Jupiter moons. The larger member Amalthea is not formed on its present orbital path, simulations shows that it might formed from the hot solar system body later get attracted towards the Jupiter gravity, and set up a new orbital path. These inner moons along with other small unnamed moonlets form the thin ring system of Jupiter.
Main group satellites or Galilean satellite
These are the largest moons of Jupiter and larger then any known dwarf planets. They are Ganymede, Callisto, Europa And lo.
Ganymede
It is largest and massive moon in entire solar system's moon and it is the ninth largest object in the solar system after sun and seven planets. It is larger then mercury but less massive. The surface is made of silica rocks and ice water, Its internal core is made of liquid iron and it has a internal ocean which has more water than the earth's ocean combined. The surface is made of two types of terrain - dark and lighter terrain. The dark terrain covered about one third of the surface and contain deep crater its age is about 4 billions years and the light terrain is not that much old and it has many grooves the formation of lighter terrain is still unknown but it is likely due to the tectonic movement as a result of tidal heating.
NASA scientists first suspected that Ganymede has a thick ocean between two layers of ice, one on the surface and one beneath a liquid ocean and atop the rocky mantle. In the 1990s, NASA's Galileo mission flew by Ganymede, confirming the moon's sub-surface ocean. An analysis published in 2014, taking into account the realistic thermodynamics for water and effects of salt, suggests that Ganymede might have a stack of several ocean layers separated by different phases of ice, with the lowest liquid layer adjacent to the rocky mantle. Water–rock contact may be an important factor in the origin of life.
Callisto
It is the second largest moon of Jupiter, Callisto is composed of approximately equal amounts of rock and ice.
Compounds detected spectroscopically on the surface include water ice, carbon dioxide, silicates, and organic compounds. Investigation by the Galileo spacecraft revealed that Callisto may have a small silicate core and possibly a subsurface ocean of liquid water at depths greater than 100 km. it has the most oldest and heavily crated surface in the solar system. Callisto's battered surface lies on top of a cold, stiff, and icy lithosphere that is between 80 and 150 km thick. A salty ocean 150–200 km deep may lie beneath the crust.
Europa
It is the smallest of four Galilean moons, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock and has a water-ice crust and probably an iron–nickel core. It has a very thin atmosphere, composed primarily of oxygen. The new and smooth surface of Europe leads to the hypothesis that Europa liquid ocean may supports extraterrestrial life. As Europa is a little bit away from Jupiter decreases the impact gravitational force of Jupiter on Europa, thats why Europa is still spherical in shape. The tidal flexing causes the tidal movement in Europa liquid ocean and it generates heat so that, remains liquid. Analysis of the unique cracks lining Europa yielded evidence that it likely spun around a tilted axis at some point in time. If correct, this would explain many of Europa's features. Europa's immense network of crisscrossing cracks serves as a record of the stresses caused by massive tides in its global ocean.
Lo
Lo is the third largest Galilean moons, it has nearly 400 active volcanoes. The extreme geological activity of lo causes tidal heating and friction in Lo as if gravitational pull between Jupiter and other three Galilean moon. Several volcanoes produce plumes of sulfur and sulfur dioxide that climb as high as 500 km (300 mi) above the surface. Lo surface have many taller mountains that has been formed by extensive compression at Lo's silicate crust. some of the mountains are taller then mount Everest. The surface is mainly made up of silicate rock surrounding a molten iron or iron sulfide core. Most of Io's surface is composed of extensive plains coated with sulfur and sulfur dioxide frost.
NEW HORIZONS explored about these Jovian system while on its mission to Pluto check out the link : New Horizons
IRREGULAR SATELLITES
PROGRADE SATELLITES:
Of Jupiter moons, eight are regular satellite that are orbiting Jupiter in a nearly circular orbit, and they are exactly inclined with the Jupiter equatorial plane. The four of Galilean moons are nearly spherical in shape because of planetary mass, so they it may consider as a dwarf planet but as it is orbiting around the Jupiter these are the natural satellites of Jupiter. other four are smaller and its orbital axis is very closer to Jupiter these smaller satellites serves as a source of dust ring around Jupiter. The other smaller and irregular satellite are located at a far distance from Jupiter. still 20 more irregular satellites are unnamed. They are believed to formed from the disk of accelerating gas and hot debris called as circumplanetary disk.
ESA is going to send a spacecraft to Jupiter to explore about its Jovian system called Jupiter icy moon explorer (JUICE)
The moons of Jupiter is grouped into
- Regular satellites
- Irregular satellites
Regular satellites
Inner regular satellites or Amalthea groups
The satellites which are small and it orbital axis is very closer to Jupiter are called inner regular satellites or Amalthea groups. They are Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, and Thebe. Amalthea and thebe are the fifth and seventh largest Jupiter moons. The larger member Amalthea is not formed on its present orbital path, simulations shows that it might formed from the hot solar system body later get attracted towards the Jupiter gravity, and set up a new orbital path. These inner moons along with other small unnamed moonlets form the thin ring system of Jupiter.
Main group satellites or Galilean satellite
These are the largest moons of Jupiter and larger then any known dwarf planets. They are Ganymede, Callisto, Europa And lo.
Ganymede
 |
| Ganymede image credit : Wikipedia |
It is largest and massive moon in entire solar system's moon and it is the ninth largest object in the solar system after sun and seven planets. It is larger then mercury but less massive. The surface is made of silica rocks and ice water, Its internal core is made of liquid iron and it has a internal ocean which has more water than the earth's ocean combined. The surface is made of two types of terrain - dark and lighter terrain. The dark terrain covered about one third of the surface and contain deep crater its age is about 4 billions years and the light terrain is not that much old and it has many grooves the formation of lighter terrain is still unknown but it is likely due to the tectonic movement as a result of tidal heating.
NASA scientists first suspected that Ganymede has a thick ocean between two layers of ice, one on the surface and one beneath a liquid ocean and atop the rocky mantle. In the 1990s, NASA's Galileo mission flew by Ganymede, confirming the moon's sub-surface ocean. An analysis published in 2014, taking into account the realistic thermodynamics for water and effects of salt, suggests that Ganymede might have a stack of several ocean layers separated by different phases of ice, with the lowest liquid layer adjacent to the rocky mantle. Water–rock contact may be an important factor in the origin of life.
Callisto
 |
| callisto image credit : NASA |
Compounds detected spectroscopically on the surface include water ice, carbon dioxide, silicates, and organic compounds. Investigation by the Galileo spacecraft revealed that Callisto may have a small silicate core and possibly a subsurface ocean of liquid water at depths greater than 100 km. it has the most oldest and heavily crated surface in the solar system. Callisto's battered surface lies on top of a cold, stiff, and icy lithosphere that is between 80 and 150 km thick. A salty ocean 150–200 km deep may lie beneath the crust.
Europa
 |
| Europa image credit : Wikipedia |
It is the smallest of four Galilean moons, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock and has a water-ice crust and probably an iron–nickel core. It has a very thin atmosphere, composed primarily of oxygen. The new and smooth surface of Europe leads to the hypothesis that Europa liquid ocean may supports extraterrestrial life. As Europa is a little bit away from Jupiter decreases the impact gravitational force of Jupiter on Europa, thats why Europa is still spherical in shape. The tidal flexing causes the tidal movement in Europa liquid ocean and it generates heat so that, remains liquid. Analysis of the unique cracks lining Europa yielded evidence that it likely spun around a tilted axis at some point in time. If correct, this would explain many of Europa's features. Europa's immense network of crisscrossing cracks serves as a record of the stresses caused by massive tides in its global ocean.
Lo
 |
| lo image credit : Wikipedia |
Lo is the third largest Galilean moons, it has nearly 400 active volcanoes. The extreme geological activity of lo causes tidal heating and friction in Lo as if gravitational pull between Jupiter and other three Galilean moon. Several volcanoes produce plumes of sulfur and sulfur dioxide that climb as high as 500 km (300 mi) above the surface. Lo surface have many taller mountains that has been formed by extensive compression at Lo's silicate crust. some of the mountains are taller then mount Everest. The surface is mainly made up of silicate rock surrounding a molten iron or iron sulfide core. Most of Io's surface is composed of extensive plains coated with sulfur and sulfur dioxide frost.
NEW HORIZONS explored about these Jovian system while on its mission to Pluto check out the link : New Horizons
IRREGULAR SATELLITES
PROGRADE SATELLITES:
- Themisto
- The Himalia group
- Carpo
- Valetudo
RETROGRADE SATELLITES:
- The Carme group
- The Ananke group
- The Pasiphae group
check out our post list of manmade spacecraft that acquire escape velocity to reach the interstellar space.
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